Violence in India is fuelled by jealousy

hy are Christie:5 , who are responsible for so much good in India, being viciously persecuted in the north Indian state of Orissa'? This is the question of consern to the Vatican as the death toll from a week of violencerises to 26, and the number of inter-denominational churches that have been destroyed touches nearly 50. Pope Benedict XVI has deplored the violence and expressed his "spiritual closeness and solidarity" to those "so sorely tried". Christians in Orissa are sadly no straneers to this kind of violence. The current outbreak billows a smaller wave of attacks by Hindu radicals in the region last Christmas, and follows the brutal murder of Australian misionary Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999 by militant eeremists . The latest attacks were sparked by the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, head of the nationalist Hindu organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad 'VHF). Although Maoist groups later admitted to carrying out de assassination. Hindu nationalists were quick to blame Chrisians, and used the murder as a pretext to act out growing resemnent. That resentment stems from Christians' charitable help in allowing low-caste groups to obtain jobs and places in educational institutions. With 40 per cent of the population made up of Tribals (aboriginal groups) and Dalts (low-caste), Orissa is one of India's most underdeveloped states . But as Dalits who embrace Christianity achieve socio-econenic progress, so many Tribals have followed suit, leading to friction with Hindu groups such as the VHP who fear it would eat at° the benefits meant for Hindu Tribals.
Although Orissa's Christian imputation is under two per cent. the Christian population in the Kandhamal district (the centre of much anti-Christian violence) he doubled in the last decade to reach the five per cent mark. lhe rate of increase is another factor incurring the wrath of Findu nationalists, and has led them to falsely accuse missionaries of "bribing" these poor Tribals and Dalit Hindus, who often face strong discrimination, to convert to Christianity by offexing free education and health care.
The government, meanwhile, stands accused of not doing enough to protect India's Christims_ But for many Christians in the region it's time to take more ci a stand themselves against this vicious bullying from Hindu nationalists. Turning the other cheek is one thing. they say, but there is a sense tha Christians of all denominations must present a united front. "We have to say, as Christ did en the Cross during he Passion: 'Why did you beat me when I hai not done anything wrong?'," said Fr Eugene Lobo Si. a retired professor from Bangalore now working for Vatican Radio. Visibly saddened by the recent events, he said he had been in touh by mobile phone with some of his friends who had been hidingout in the forests fo three days. The violence is especially saddening because Christi:as make up just two per cent of India's population, yet contribate20 per cent of the nation's social welfare facilities, and six per cent of its education.
The violence is relatively recenedating back ont 15or so years. One solution is to remove the social stigma seri-sanding the caste system. 'That has to go," said Fr Lobo. "Once t goes,then people can live in harmony and peace, and things eat be fine." Orissan bishop Raphael Cheenath, Archbishcp of CuttackBubaneshwar, was also hopeful oi a resolution: "Hen the majority would like to eliminate the Cross, but its roots are to deep and the cancer of nationalism will no prevail," he told Ssia News. "The Church will be the light for many generatiensto cone."
The recent decision of Bishop Hollis of Porsmouth to disallow weekly Polish-language Masses in a s diocese has not gone down very eel 1 among sone n the Vatican. One Vatican source described the decisior as "herrible". "Aren't they even aware of what happenee inhe United States with the Polish National Church?" he asks, eferring to the 19th-century schism that was created in Arneria after US bishops forbade Polish Masses "If their staterunts about 'integration' were used in any other country as a:excuse to refuse to offer Masses in the natve tongue of aid a sigeificant immigrant community, peeple would be yeling xenophobia." He added that the move ignores the facshat natty Poles expect to return to Poland after a few yeas, and he suggested several other options including appoiatit; an Axestolic Visitor for England's Polish community. Bulte sail he hoped it would not come to that.
Rome Correspondent: Edward Pattie E-mail: [email protected]